Business.govt.nz

APIs connect your software to government services

Application programming interfaces help your system talk securely to those used by government agencies. Use this new online guide to APIs used by the Companies Office and others.

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a great way to connect businesses to the services they use regularly.

They create a secure connection between different software and services so they can be accessed through one interface. Instead of having to copy information, you can use an API to pull it into the system you’re using automatically.

The new website www.api.business.govt.nz (external link) shows the APIs provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Explore the site to find APIs useful to your business and then ask your software providers if they have any of these APIs integrated into their products.

Fast, secure and more accurate

These APIs connect you directly and automatically to government agencies and services you use – helping to reduce the time and effort you spend manually transferring information held in your own systems onto paper or online forms. It also helps avoid data entry errors.

Many of these APIs also provide a way to automatically retrieve information held in public registers, like the Companies Register so you can easily access up-to-date official data.

For example, an intellectual property (IP) agent may have a case management system that holds the details of their clients and IP portfolios. By incorporating the IPONZ API, they can use their own system to submit new applications, renew IP rights, send and receive correspondence to IPONZ, and automatically get the latest information from the IP registers.

Similarly, a property management firm with software that supports the use of the API can easily submit and manage applications with the Tenancy Tribunal.